You open the left door. As soon as you push it open you hear the chatter of goblin voices; apparently these thick stone doors block sound very well. The room stretches off a bit to the right, and on the end wall is a door. Inside the room are seven goblins and four wolves sitting around a fire. The biggest goblin sits on a tall stone chair. The room is full of smoke, but the goblins don't seem to mind. The wolves are keeping their heads down as much as possible though.

The big goblin has a sword and a shield, and wears chainmail. Three of the other goblins have short swords, and three have shortbows. You recognize one of the swordgoblins as your former captive Ornup.

Maybe I can challenge the big guy to single combat? Winner take all. The smarter thing is probably just to run back to that other room and take em out as they funnel through the doorway, but if the goblins are willing to listen to reason, we won't have to risk our injured party members.

Unless we get a straight-up surprise round and THEN the start of the actual round. If that's the case, I dash over and hack that big mofo to pieces. I'll wait till I get confirmation of how the surprise round works first.

You get one round, then the goblins get one round. Surprise rounds can happen, but then you'd have to be more prepared than the opposition. In this case you just ran into each other, and you are the first to react.

Whispered:"Stand behind me, comerades. Take cover at the door, and cover the chokepoint. Prepare to flee if need be."

I step in front of the doorway, brandishing my longsword menacingly. Nothing shall pass me, but I will step behind the archway should the bowmen prove immovable. If only Nisos could light the treacherous Ornupp ablaze as we had promised him."Creatures of Darkness, the rest of my men lie waiting in the next room. We both know what will happen should you dare to attack our larger numbers, but our consequences differ: death, pitted against minor annoyance. If you Cowards wish to flee with your lives, let us engage in single combat - your bravest warrior versus ours. Winners get to escape with their lives. What say you, vile ones?"

I guess I'd be preparing an action so that I could dodge behind the doorframe and into the next room should arrows go flying.